Features and In Vitro Assessment of Antiviral Activity of Organic Coatings Doped with Silver-Based Compounds Against Human Coronavirus

Implementation of novel antiviral coatings and textiles, which can be utilised in the production of personal protective equipment, has the potential to enhance public health security against future pandemic outbreaks. Respiratory viruses, particularly SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, have emerged as a major global concern due to their rapid transmission and high mortality rates, leading to nearly seven million deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2025. This statistic underscores the necessity for the development and implementation of advanced antiviral materials to prevent viral infections. This research focused on the in vitro evaluation of the antiviral properties of three antibacterial compounds containing silver (Ag) that were functionalized with coatings. We assessed onsite synthesised Ag powder in comparison to commercially available antibacterial additives, which included nanosilver on colloidal silica (AgSiO₂) and silver sodium hydrogen zirconium phosphate (AgNaOPZr), as potential antiviral agents in coatings against human coronavirus (HCoV). Antiviral assessments revealed that coatings containing Ag at higher concentrations (2.5 and 5%) exhibited limited antiviral effectiveness, with a titer reduction in log < 2. In contrast, the functionalization of AgSiO₂ on coatings significantly suppressed viral replication resulting in a notable reduction in virus titer of log ≥ 2 for all tested concentrations.